The time he went too far
by phantompen001
Summary: Tony Stark is dead, yet it appears that all the Avengers have forgotten to check their calendars.
1. POV:Bruce

A few wet splotches seeped into the cheap, obsidian fabric of my rental tux. As my body was racked with another fresh wave of tremendous sobs, I buried my face in my already moist hands.

Pitiful.

That it would end like this.

That Tony is gone.

I fumbled for my glasses next to me and sloppily shoved them on. I sniffed, and stared at the casket:

At the head of the room, covered in snaking tendrils of white, sweet smelling flowers, with my one best friend and companion inside.

More tears gushed out of my already bloodshot, puffy, eyes, and I wiped them away, yet more and more continued to spill down my cheeks.

"Tony…" I hiccuped, my voice feeble and raspy, "Oh..T-Tony…" my sentence dissolved into sobs, and I burrowed my face into Thor's broad chest and wept for my friend.

 _Tony._

 _Our long nights in the lab._

 _Pondering what Natasha and Pepper do on their days off._

 _Tony sorely attempting to get Thor drunk._

 _The compassion and friendship he showed me, Bruce Banner, The Hulk._

 _Without Tony, who did I have?_

 _Who would be there for me now?_

By now I was in hysterics, curled up and bawling like a small child. A weak and defenseless child.

Alone.

"Tony..." I blubbered between my cries, "Tony! Tony!" I howled, "TOOOONNNYY! TONY!"

Somewhere in the distance, "Back in Black" began to play, its volume steadily rising until the room seemed to throb in unison with the bass, making my already pounding head ache. The lid to the polished mahogany casket opened and landed with a loud _bang_! as it smacked into the casket's side.

Surrounded in an aura of music and mist: Tony Stark rose from the dead.

My tears seemed to vanish and time seemed to stop.

"No…" I muttered feebly, "I- no...Tony?"

Then reality slapped me–hard:

"Tony!" I screeched, leaping out of my seat and scrambling to the front where I nearly knocked my friend over in my wild hug. He chuckled, returned the embrace and ruffled my light-chocolate curls before whispering:

"Happy April Fools!"

"April Fools?"


	2. POV:Tony

How to know if you're hungover:

Everything hurts

Your body is blanketed in beer, whiskey, and " _wine_?"bottles. _Rum from Peru...how the hell did that get there?_

Pepper is standing over you holding a plate of toast with peanut butter and a can of ginger ale.

"Do you have the–"

"Advil? Yes. Tony, you got hungover just last week, so–"

"I was preparing you for my next one."

Pepper scowled, and after plunking a few bottles down on the coffee table,took a seat next to was at that moment that the phone rang. I received the call and Bobby, the funeral director, was on the line.

" ? You ready?"

"Ready? Bobby, what did I do?"

"Made plans…"

"For what?" I snapped

"Your..fake funeral…"

"My what?"

"Funeral, sir."

"My funeral? Jesus, I was drunk…"

"You were drunk when you made the arrangements?"

"Yeah."

"Well while you were drunk you hired 50 trained actors, a casket, 20 yards of white flowers,a mist machine, candles, reserved a church, and printed out 6 fake newspapers saying you were dead and sent them to the Avengers."

"Crap."

Bobby cleared his throat before inquiring: " , have you checked your calendar today?"

"Checked my? No."

"I'll wait…" he sighed gruffly

I raced down to the lab and glanced at the calendar:

APRIL 1rst

"April Fools…" I breathed, an idea springing into my head almost instantly. I sprinted back, taking the steps two at a time. I launched myself onto the couch and yaked the phone out of Pepper's hand and hollered into it, "April Fools! Joke! I'll...joke!" I gasped, exhilarated that I had found a plan.

* * *

After hours of preparation, I squirmed into my coffin and gave Pepper a peck on the cheek before she closed the lid with a hearty _snap_! Armed with a stomach full of fluttering butterflies, my sweaty palms, black suit, and thoughts, I began to battle: An hour-long wait in a confined, stuffy, space meant for people who were authentically dead, so naturally within the first three minutes I was BORED!

I tapped the plush, velvet insides with my pinkie, hummed "Highway to Hell" while playing air-guitar, tried to recite as many of the Periodic Table of Elements as I could to see if I had learned anything from Bruce's constant babbling about it, imagined what it would be like to have the Hulk act like a puppy, envisioned a unicorn wearing a bow tie drinking a beer, and mentally played a game of Galaga before I dozed off into a light sleep, only to be woken with a jolt when the pipe organ's music blasted through the church. I re-oriented in about a minute, and the first thing I noticed were Bruce's cries, which tore out my heart and trampled on it.

"Brucie…" I cooed under my breath, "Shshsh...no, don't cry, don't cry..Bruce, I'm fine. I'm okay! Sh…. _don't cry_ " I was surprised to hear a quiver in my voice, and my throat had

constricted. I gulped and a small whimper escaped my sealed lips. I would've given anything to fling the lid of the casket open and assure Bruce that I was fine and safe, yet that wish was restricted. As his sobs grew in size, sound, and frequency, a few scorching tears of my own slipped out of my eyes and pelted down my face.

"I'm alright.." I squeaked, "Brucie…" I swiped at my cheeks with the hem of my sleeve and sniffed. As the entrance to my "resurrection" began, I straightened my suit, cleared my throat, and hastily regained my composure in time to flick the switch for the mist machine and watch the white swirl overhead before I lifted the lid and let it fall to the opposite side before I rose, gesturing for applause.

"Tony!"

I was thrust back at the full-force of Bruce hurtling himself at me. I chuckled, glad to be reunited with my friend, before I returned his mammoth bear-hug and ruffled his hair as I did when I was particularly playful or joyous. Trying to sound as colloquial and lighthearted as possible I whispered:

"Happy April Fools!"

"April Fools?"


	3. Epilouge

April 1rst: The day Bruce hulk-ed out, Clint fired an arrow at random into the sky which no one has found since, Thor knocked Tony out with a swift punch, and Natasha began holding a grudge that lasted 3 solid months. Bruce and Thor were the first to forgive Tony; only because they claimed that since he was in charge, they should be nice to him. Bruce later revealed to Tony in the lab that he truthfully just wanted his best friend back, and that Thor couldn't bear to lose another close comrade, Loki's death was enough to bear. Clint forgave him in the next month, and Steve forgave him a few weeks later, yet is still to this day weary of Tony's actions. With much, much, _much_ convincing from the team, Natasha began to forgive Tony.

The team has now come to terms with the prank.


End file.
